Project description:Cerebellar circuitry is critical for balance and motor control among a wide array of functions and largely consists of granule and Purkinje neurons. Bergmann glia in the cerebellum form distinct morphological structures that facilitate granule neuron migration during development and that maintain the cerebellar organization and functional integrity. At present, molecular control of the formation and morphogenesis of Bergmann glia remains obscure. In this study, we found that Zeb2 (a.k.a. Sip1 or Zfhx1b), a Mowat-Wilson syndrome-associated transcriptional regulator, is highly restricted to Bergmann glia and is essential for their development and maturation. The mice with Zeb2 ablation in the cerebellar neural progenitor exhibit dysgenesis of cerebellar cortical lamination and locomotion defects. Deletion of Zeb2 markedly reduced Bergmann glial proliferation, differentiation and the establishment of the normal radial scaffold, disrupting migration of granule cell progenitors from external to internal granular layers. Transcriptome profiling indicated that Zeb2 regulates multiple pathways including FGF and Notch signaling as well as axonal guidance cues including Netrin G2 and Gdf10 to control Bergmann glial development. Our data reveal that Zeb2 acts as a transcriptional integrator of diverse signaling pathways to regulate the formation and morphogenesis of Bergmann glia ensuring maintenance of cerebellar integrity, suggesting that Zeb2 dysfunction in Bergmann glia might contribute to motor deficits in Mowat-Wilson syndrome.
Project description:Bergmann glial cells of the vertebrate cerebellum play essential roles in the development and maintenance of cerebellar structure and function. During development, Bergmann glia provide structural support to the expanding cerebellar anlage and also serve as guides for migrating neurons (granule cells). As the cerebellum matures, Bergmann glia become important in dendritic arborization, synapse maintenance and synaptic function. The molecular mechanisms underlying these diverse and important functions of Bergmann glia remain largely unknown. We used microarray analysis to examine global gene expression in individual Bergmann glial cells derived at P6 (a time of extensive neuronal migration and cerebellar growth) and at P30 (when cerebellar development is complete and Bergmann glia play important roles at synapses). After gentle dissociation of cerebellar tissue derived from mice expressing GFP under the GFAP gene promoter (GFAP-GFP mice) (Zhuo, L., et al., 1997, Developmental biology), single GFP-positive Bergmann glial cells were aspirated into microcapillary tubes. Amplified cDNAs were prepared from single cells using RT-PCR and hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 expression arrays (one array per cell). Five P6 cells and five P30 cells were used to generate the data presented in this study.
Project description:Bergmann glial cells of the vertebrate cerebellum play essential roles in the development and maintenance of cerebellar structure and function. During development, Bergmann glia provide structural support to the expanding cerebellar anlage and also serve as guides for migrating neurons (granule cells). As the cerebellum matures, Bergmann glia become important in dendritic arborization, synapse maintenance and synaptic function. The molecular mechanisms underlying these diverse and important functions of Bergmann glia remain largely unknown. We used microarray analysis to examine global gene expression in individual Bergmann glial cells derived at P6 (a time of extensive neuronal migration and cerebellar growth) and at P30 (when cerebellar development is complete and Bergmann glia play important roles at synapses).
Project description:Single-cell profiling of stem cell-derived cerebellar organoids revealed transcriptionally-discrete populations encompassing the major cerebellar neuronal cell types including granule cells, roof plate, choroid plexus, Bergmann glia, Purkinje cells and glutamatergic deep cerebellar nuclei. Cellular identity and maturity were confirmed through comparison to an atlas of developing murine cerebellar cell types.